From New Immigrant to Top Franchisee in Three Years
How One Family Turned Crisis Into Opportunity and Built Their American Dream Through The Grout Doctor
The Decision to Leave
At 52 years old, Juan stood at a crossroads. After managing a retail clothing business in Peru for four years, COVID-19 had devastated his company. The Peruvian government’s four-month lockdown left the business with zero income, forcing massive downsizing. For two years, he and his family lived off investment income while the market struggled to recover.
“We were not making the money that we were used to in the past,” Juan recalls. “After two years of living from our investments, we decided to try to find opportunities abroad.”
The choice came down to two countries: Spain, where Juan held citizenship through his grandfather, or the United States. The decision was clear. “The United States is the wealthiest country in the world. It has a lot of money and the market is very big. In the US, if you start a business, the market is there. The only risk is yourself and how good you do.”
A Family Affair
This wasn’t just Juan’s decision—it was a family commitment. His wife Katrina, his 26-year-old daughter Sophia, and his 19-year-old daughter Miranda all agreed to leave their life in Peru behind.
“This was a family decision,” Juan emphasizes. “The good thing is that the four of us wanted to make this change. All of us were motivated to leave Peru and pursue a nice project in the States.”
The logistics were daunting: moving furniture from Lima, finding a Catholic girls’ school in Tampa for Miranda, renting out their home in Peru. But the family’s shared commitment made it manageable.
The E-2 Visa Advantage
Juan’s Spanish passport proved invaluable. The E-2 Treaty Investor visa is only available to citizens of countries with specific trade treaties with the United States—Spain qualifies, Peru doesn’t.
The difference is dramatic. Peruvian nationals would need the EB-5 program, requiring over $1 million investment and 10 full-time U.S. jobs. The E-2 visa has no minimum investment or employee requirements—just a “substantial” investment appropriate to the business.
“That was a good thing that I have the Spanish passport,” Juan notes. Through his grandfather’s citizenship, he could invest reasonably in an existing business without massive capital requirements—an often-overlooked advantage for those with dual citizenship in E-2 treaty countries.
For a complete list of E-2 eligible countries, visit the U.S. Department of State’s official treaty countries page.
Finding the Right Business
From Peru, Juan began his search online, reviewing roughly 50 different businesses through websites like Business Brokers for Florida. His criteria were specific: he needed a business in Florida (to stay close to Peru), within his investment budget, and capable of generating enough income to support his family.
After making three or four unsuccessful offers on various businesses, he discovered The Grout Doctor franchise in Tampa.
“For me, the least risky option was to buy a business,” Juan explains. “If I buy a business, it has a proven track record. The former franchisee had been running it for 12 to 15 years, so they had a customer base and the market knew the brand.”
In September 2022, the family arrived in Florida. By October 1st, Juan had signed all the paperwork and begun operating the business.
The Challenge of Building a Team
Juan’s background in economics (with an MBA from Purdue University) and retail management prepared him well for business ownership—but he wasn’t prepared for the hiring challenges.
“The most challenging thing was to find good people to work in the company,” Juan admits. Finding technicians who are detail-oriented and committed to the hands-on work of tile and grout restoration proved more difficult than expected.
Today, Juan employs four technicians, primarily Cuban immigrants who have proven to be an excellent fit for the meticulous nature of the work. Building the right team took time, but finding workers who shared his commitment to quality craftsmanship was essential to the business’s growth.
Impressive Growth
The numbers tell a compelling success story:
- 2023: $400,000 in sales
- 2024: $650,000 in sales
- 2025 (projected): $800,000 in salesIn just three years, Juan tripled the revenue of the business he purchased—a remarkable achievement for any entrepreneur, let alone a recent immigrant learning a new market.The Family Business ModelThe Grout Doctor operates as a true family enterprise:
- Juan handles all estimates, visiting clients’ homes to assess their needs and close sales
- Katrina manages all incoming leads, scheduling, technician calendars, materials, andpayroll
- Sophia performs estimates in Sarasota several days a week
- Miranda handles post-job client outreach to secure Google reviews”We are three, maybe three and a half people on the administrative side,” Juan explains. “It’s a family business, and that must be very useful—not only do you trust these people, but they all have your best interest at heart.”Learning from the Franchise NetworkThe Grout Doctor’s corporate support proved invaluable. The franchise provides:
- Marketing guidance to maximize ROI on advertising spend
- Monthly rankings showing top performers in sales and lead conversion
- Discounted pricing on additional territories for existing franchisees
- Flexible payment terms for territory expansion
“At the beginning, when I was not in the first places, I would call other franchisees to learn from them what they did, what they’re doing,” Juan shares. “The corporation promotes that, so that’s very useful for new franchisees.”
Juan credits this network effect for helping him climb from the middle of the rankings to consistently placing in the top three.
Understanding the Market
The Florida market presents unique opportunities. Juan’s customer base is 95% American, primarily third- or fourth-generation families. But the seasonal nature of Florida creates interesting dynamics.
“Between late October and late April is the high season because we receive all these people that come from the north escaping from the winter,” Juan explains. “They stay in Florida for six months, and that increases our sales a lot.”
These snowbirds often want their tile and grout refreshed before, during, or after their stay— creating predictable demand patterns.
The Value Proposition
The Grout Doctor’s appeal is straightforward: professional tile and grout restoration costs between 10% and 20% of what complete replacement would cost.
“Instead of retiling the floor or retiling the shower, it’s much, much cheaper to hire us and do a very good cleaning, even a re-grout—changing the old grout and putting in new,” Juan explains. “The results are going to be very close to new.”
Most clients seek grout rejuvenation—whether it’s removing years of darkened discoloration, repairing cracked or missing grout, or eliminating mold and mildew from shower areas.
Juan’s sales process is consultative: “I listen to my client’s needs. The client explains what their problem is, and then I start sharing their options on how to resolve those problems and why my suggestions will be better.”
This approach yields impressive results: 50% of customers approve estimates on the spot, with another third closing within two or three days. Overall, Juan maintains a 50-60% closing rate, depending on the season.
Looking Ahead
Juan’s growth strategy is two-pronged: increase sales in existing territories and acquire new adjacent territories.
“In the past three years, we were growing in those two ways,” he explains. “We hope we can continue growing doing the same thing.”
Each new territory requires investment—another van, specialized cleaning equipment (drills, vacuums, cleaning machines), and an additional technician. But the return justifies the cost. “The equipment pays for itself in a month or so,” Juan notes.
Advice for Aspiring Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Juan has already helped several friends successfully follow his path. His advice is consistent:
1. Buy an Existing Business, Don’t Start from Scratch
“Buy a business with 5+ years of existence, not a new business that has one or two years—that would be the same as starting a new business from scratch. You’re buying a company that already has a good database of clients and good reputation. There’s nice cash flow on day one.”
2. Get a Good Accountant
“At least for me, since I was new living in the States as an entrepreneur, I needed to learn a lot about accounting. You have to know all the ways in which you can reduce your taxes legally. Getting a good accountant is very important because you’ll receive advice on how to do efficient accounting—which type of corporation, LLC, partnership, S-corp, C-corp—they all have different pros and cons.”
3. Get Good Insurance
“The insurance market is crazy here. You have to have good insurance. Get a good broker that can give you advice on what are the best insurances for your type of business so you’ll be protected and won’t have to worry in case something happens.”
No Regrets
When asked if he’s glad he made the move, Juan’s answer is immediate and enthusiastic: “Absolutely. Overall, we are very, very happy.”
The family still misses relatives and friends in Peru, but they return each Christmas and New Year to visit. The trade-off has been worth it.
From a COVID-ravaged retail business in Lima to a thriving franchise in Tampa, Juan’s story illustrates a fundamental truth about immigrant entrepreneurship: with careful planning, family support, and willingness to learn, the American dream remains very much alive.
His journey also highlights an often-overlooked immigration pathway—the E-2 visa—which can provide opportunities for those with ancestry in treaty countries to invest in American businesses without the large capital requirements of other investor visas.
Today, Juan continues to grow his business, working alongside his family to serve Florida homeowners while building a secure financial future. His advice to other immigrants considering a similar path is simple: “Buy a business, get good advisors, and be prepared to work hard. The market is here—the only risk is yourself.
